Pints, ciggies, sun. It’s a scene us Brits are so used to seeing – but one we might need to wave goodbye to, before long.
That’s because the UK government is reportedly working on plans to extend the indoor smoking ban to a number of open-air public spaces. According to leaked Whitehall documents, smoking could be banned in pub gardens, outdoor restaurants, outside hospitals and at sports grounds. We know what you’re thinking: that means no more asking around for a lighter in smoking areas.
The plans would also ban smoking on pavements next to hospitality venues, as well as outside universities, children’s play areas and small parks. Areas excluded from the planned restrictions include private homes or large open spaces like parks or streets.
The finer details of the measures are still unknown – it’s not clear whether the ban would apply to the whole of the UK or England only, for example – but we do know that they’re being proposed as part of the tobacco and vapes bill, which was introduced in parliament earlier this year before the general election was called and would prohibit the sale of tobacco to people born on or after January 2009.
Dr Layla McCay, the director of policy at the NHS Confederation, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I’m obviously in favour of measures that help abolish smoking. It is absolutely the health challenge of our time. It’s the leading cause of preventable illness in the UK, so we are heartened to see that progress is being made and that the intention is moving forward to really address one of Britain’s main drivers of health inequalities.’
In 2007, smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces was made illegal.
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